FIRESTONE AND INDY 500 TEAM UP WITH A NEW TIRE

Bridgestone/Firestone, which lost a business relationship with Ford Motor Co., now has a fresh one with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A new product from that partnership is the Firehawk Indy 500 tire. It's the first time in Indy 500's 90-year history that a tire for street and highway use will sport the Indy name and logo.

Bridgestone/Firestone is trying to recover from the controversy of allegedly defective Firestone tires causing Ford Explorer rollovers. Trying to disassociate from that, the company wants more positive associations — such as the Indy 500.

Virtually all the Indy cars race on Firestone tires. Firestone wants more people to know that.

Marketing activities for the new tire will seek to reach potential buyers as well as tout the strength of the Firestone brand to the general public, says marketing director Phil Pacsi.